By Jan Boston Sellers / Chronicle columnist
Power Rangers, Harry Potters, Indians, firemen and the requisite ghosts and goblins will be out in full force Saturday night as Halloween 2009 lands on the Plateau. If you are planning on driving anywhere or taking young children trick-or-treating, it's a good idea to follow a few of the following safety tips:
Parents, make sure your children's costumes are flame retardant; keep costumes short so that your tick-or-treater doesn't fall; try make-up in lieu of a mask that may block their vision; make sure kids wear light colors or reflective clothing, stickers or tape; create a map of safe trick-or-treating routes; make sure no trick-or-treater is alone at any time; visit only homes of people you know; don't allow your child to go inside anyone's home; remind children to watch for cars; do not take shortcuts through wooded areas, backyards, etc.
Candy: parents, eat, I mean inspect, all of your children's candy before allowing them to eat it. Throw away all unwrapped candy and contact police if something looks suspicious.
Adults: make your home safe for trick-or-treaters by leaving your porch and other outside lights on. Watch your street for speeding motorists. Don't give unwrapped or homemade treats to children and report any suspicious activity. If you are driving on Halloween night, exercise extreme caution, be on the alert for trick-or-treaters darting in and out of the yards and roads.
There are several safe alternatives to trick-or-treating being offered in Crossville on Halloween night by several area churches. They include the annual Trunk or Treat at Linary Church of Christ. Trick or treaters may walk through the parking lot and visit cars decorated by church members and receive their Halloween treats. This event will start at 6 and last until 7:30 p.m.
Lantana Road Baptist Church is hosting its annual Hallelujah festival complete with hayrides, refreshments, etc. It will begin at 5:30 and last until 8:30 p.m.
Trinity Tabernacle off Hwy. 127 S will be the site of its annual Fall Festival, complete with games, treats and fall fun. The fall festival begins at 6 and lasts until 8.
First United Methodist Church is hosting its annual Spirit Fest Saturday night, as well. This night of fun is slated to start at 4 p.m. and last until 7 p.m. at the church building on Braun St. Karen from the church office says there will be refreshments, music, games, candy and a lot of fun for children, teens and adults.
Also on Halloween night is the Autumn Acres Corn Maze. It is located off Interstate 40 at Exit 311 (Plateau Road) and is a lot of fun on Halloween night, particularly for the tweens and up.
Halloween gets off to an early start Thursday night with the TAD Center's annual Say Boo to Drugs Red Ribbon Week Party. That event starts at 5 on Thursday and lasts until 7 p.m. with $50 cash prizes for the best boy and girl costume, treat bags for all as well as a Piñata smash, musical chairs, face and pumpkin decorating. There is no charge for the party. Costume judging begins promptly at 5:30
Whatever you choose to do to celebrate Halloween, please exercise caution and have a happy, safe evening!
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Before we get to Halloween, however, there are some football games that need to be played. The Jets will travel to White County to play Sparta. Game time is 7 p.m. The Stone Memorial Panthers are at home Friday night. Game time is 6:30 p.m. at SMHS. The Vols are in action Halloween night. They will host South Carolina at 6:45 CDT in Neyland Stadium after coming very, very close to beating then number one ranked Alabama.
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Congratulations to Ginny Cole of Crossville. The Roane State student won the Foothills Fairest of the Fair and will now compete in Nashville come January along with Cumberland County's 2009 Fair Queen Brittney Eller for the state title.
